The item Experience New Zealand is intended to provide suggestions for a round trip to the largest cities and the most famous natural wonders and sights of the islands of New Zealand.
General information
Preliminary remarks
New Zealand is far away, there is hardly a further travel destination from Europe. Perhaps that is why it is a dream destination for many Europeans. In the following an attempt is made to put together a round trip across the North and South Island, which leads to the main sights of this distant country. The tour that has been put together is offered in a similar form by some tour operators. It takes around three and a half weeks, and a vehicle covers around 5,000 km. Hence the name was chosen like this: Experience New Zealand.
New Zealand is very far away. Also for traveling by plane. The machine has to cover about half the circumference of the earth. The flight duration is over 20 hours. Even those who are physically 100% fit should at least consider making a stopover on the flight. Most airlines offer this for such a tour at no extra charge. Possibilities are e.g. stopovers in Dubai, in Bangkok or Singapore, also a quick stop in Melbourne or Sydney is available from some companies. Of course, a stopover extends the travel time. A fortnight for New Zealand is already tight, three weeks and more are better. Not everyone can indulge in this period of time. So it happens that the majority of travelers are either young people who want to get to know the country and its people as backpackers, or they are best agers shortly after they have finished their working life.
Travel time
New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere. If we Europeans want to go on summer vacation, it is winter in New Zealand. And it can get really cold. Spring from October to early December is more pleasant for round trips. Climatically, the best travel time is usually when there are school holidays. In New Zealand the big holidays are from mid-December through Christmas to the beginning of February (holiday on February 6: Waitangi Day). Of course, the New Zealanders are also on the go. However, this is not a problem if you book accommodation in good time. The autumn months up to the end of April are also a good option.
Types of travel
- Organized round trips by bus are popular, they are usually carried out by local companies, and guests who have booked with various tour operators at different prices sit on the bus.
- RV tours are a popular alternative. New Zealand has a large number of campsites with parking spaces for vehicles, updated information is available from Automobile Association.
- The combination rental car / motel is more convenient and quite popular
- Backpacker tours or trips with the normal bus, bookings e.g. via Intercity Coach Lines.
- New Zealand also has a railroad, but there are only four long-distance routes.
Some tips
- The main islands of New Zealand have the from April to October NZST, New Zealand Standard Time, which is UTC 12 hours. Since we then have summer time in Europe, the clocks in New Zealand advance by 10 hours against CEST. New Zealand has daylight saving time or from November to March NZDT, New Zealand Daylight Time, is 12 hours ahead of CET.
- To drive a rental car you must be 21 years old and have an international driver's license. Anyone who has forgotten it can drive for a year with an EU driving license, but a certified translation is required.
- In New Zealand people drive on the left. The roads are mostly good, but often not as wide as Europeans are used to. Bridges are often only passable in one lane, regulated by right of way signs or also by traffic lights. New Zealanders stop much earlier at zebra crossings than e.g. German drivers, pedestrians expect this too, and the following drivers should expect it.
- Insect repellent and sun protection should not be missing in any luggage
- There are clean and free public toilets in almost all localities
- The filling station network is thinner than in Europe, so refuel in good time.
- There are often washing machines and dryers in the accommodations that can be used for a few dollars. Laundromats are also quite common.
- Side roads are not always paved, and some are only accessible with off-road vehicles. You also risk insurance coverage on a few routes. The rental car companies provide information about this, information can be found at the planning point Automobile Association.
getting there
When you first encounter a foreign country, you would like to gain as many impressions as possible about the country and its people. The following proposal presents a round trip as it is offered in a similar form by a wide variety of tour operators. Care was taken to set a few priorities.
The journey is usually via Auckland on the North island or over Christchurch on the South island, less often over the capital Wellington. A few points speak in favor of traveling via Auckland. On the one hand, it is the largest city in the country with a very good infrastructure, the road traffic roughly reflects Central European conditions, it offers good opportunities to acclimatize quickly.
Suggestion of an itinerary
Auckland and Northland (5 days)
Day 1: Arrival in Auckland.
On the day of arrival in Auckland you should take it easy and take it easy. Left-hand traffic is also unusual for pedestrians. The area around Sky-City and the harbor should be on the program, Mount Eden and Auckland Domain are also good choices. In the evening it is definitely worth taking a look from the Sky Tower, possibly combined with a dinner in the restaurant at 190 m height and a fantastic all-round view.
Day 2: Auckland
On the second day you can explore the city a little better. We definitely recommend a city tour with the Explorer Bus. Animal lovers may prefer to visit Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium. If you want to get to know nature right away, you can do so on the second day with a ferry to Rangitoto Island translate and enjoy nature in the local nature reserve. If you have more time, you can confidently hang out here for a few more days, the metropolis of Auckland won't get boring that quickly.
Day 3: Drive to the Bay of Islands (230 km)
The tour leads first on the very well developed SH1 into the subtropical Northland, he's also called Twin Coast Discovery Highway signposted. It goes past the hibiscus coast to Bay of Islands to Paihia. On the Waitangi Treaty Grounds you get to know the origins of New Zealand, you get a first contact with the Māori culture. Overnight in Paihia, Kawakawa or Kerikeri.
Day 4: Bay of Islands
The day is filled with a boat trip through the Bay of Islands. You are often accompanied by dolphins, and at Cape Brett you can watch sea birds and seals. Those interested in the history of the country should take the ferry to go to Russell translate, the now sleepy-looking town was once the country's first capital for a short time. Or you can use the possibilities that the sea offers.
Day 5: Cape Reinga (430 km there and back)
The goal of the next day is Cape Reinga. You drive along Doubtless Bay to the Aupouri Peninsula, from there a road leads to the Cape, but a trip at low tide on the is nicer Ninety Mile Beach. However, you are not allowed to drive every route in the vicinity of the Cape with a rental car. Alternatively, a tour to Cape Reinga can also be carried out by small aircraft. From the town's airport Kerikeri start small machines and land in a meadow near the cape.
Day 6: Through the Kauri forests back to Auckland (360 km)
Kauri wood and its meaning can be found out the next day. The tour passes from the Bay of Islands Kaikohe to the Waipoua Forest with the mighty Kauri tree Tane Mahuta. In Matakohe In a very informative museum you can see the beauty of wood and especially of it Kauri Gum admire. The journey then goes back to the metropolis of Auckland.
From Auckland to Wellington
Day 7: From Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula (190 km)
From Auckland the route follows the route of the Pacific Coast Highway first to the peninsula Coromandel. It is quite popular with the locals as a holiday region, there are numerous white sandy beaches as well as good diving and sailing areas. Once the area was rich in gold, the relics of that time are still in the cities Thames and Coromandel to find. The picturesque Cathedral Cove lies between Whitianga and Tairua and is well worth a visit. Also the Hot Water Beach is there, worth a visit, especially at low tide. Overnight in Whitianga or Tairua.
Day 8: Through the Bay of Plenty to Rotorua (250 km)
If you follow the Pacific Coast Highway, you get to the Bay of Plenty. The name says it all: there is enough of everything here. Enough sun, beaches, fishing grounds and, above all, fruit. Kiwis, the fruits that are identified with New Zealand, are grown in huge plantations in the area Te Puke you can buy them inexpensively at numerous shops on the roadside. Avocados and other fruits also thrive here. Worthwhile stops are also Tauranga with Mount Maunganui and the huge hole of the gold mine in Waihi. From Te Puke there are only 60 kilometers to go Rotorua.
Day 9: Rotorua, hot springs and Māori culture
The city is located in a geothermally active region, the effects of volcanism can be seen and smelled everywhere. A permanent faint odor of rotten eggs is caused by leaking hydrogen sulfide. Worth seeing is the Ohinemutu district, the museum in the old bath house and the Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley with the large geyser Pohutu and the Māori Cultural Center Te Puia. Also in several other places in the area, such as in the Buried Village and in Waimangu Thermal Valley, show geothermal activity.
Day 10: Hawke's Bay to Napier (220 km)
You leave Rotorua and drive on the Thermal Explorer Highway further. The geothermal energy is also used in geothermal power plants, so im Wairakei geothermal power plant. On the further journey you come to the Waikato river past the Huka waterfalls, shortly afterwards you reach the Taupo lake, it was formed from the caldera of an extinct volcano. Finally one reaches Napier. The sights of this Art Deco city were created after an earthquake when the city was on Classic New Zealand Wine Trail had to be rebuilt.
Day 11: On the Wine Trail to Wellington (330 km)
It then continues on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail on a long tour through rural regions to the capital of the country. You have a good overview of the city and the harbor from the Mount Victoria Lookout. The National Museum Te papa is downright a duty, including the seat of government with the Beehive should be on every visit program.
Day 12: Wellington to Nelson (110 km)
In the early morning we take a ferry to the South Island, the pure crossing to Picton takes about 3 hours. The South Island can be reached at Picton in the region Marlborough. You leave the Wine Trail and drive through the hilly landscape of Mt. Richmond Forest Park to the artist town Nelsonwho like to Sunshine State of New Zealand is called. This is why excellent wines are also grown here, and there are three national parks in the vicinity with popular hiking destinations.
On the south island
Day 13: Along the west coast to Franz Josef (480 km)
From Nelson it goes first to Murchison. The inconspicuous town is a center for whitewater rafting. At Westport to reach the Tasmanian Sea, it goes south along the coast past the seal colony at Cape Foulwind to the Pancake rocks in the Paparoa National Park. South from Greymouth one arrives after Hokitika, here is a jade carving center run by Māoris. In the lagoon of Okarito the colony of great egrets is the target of bird watchers. Finally one reaches Franz Josef in the Westland National Park. The small town lies at the foot of the Franz Josef Glacier.
Day 14: In Westland National Park
A hike through the cold rainforest takes just under 2 hours to the glacier gate of the Franz Josef Glacier. In good weather, a helicopter flight over its ice surfaces is recommended. Alternatives are also guided tours.
Day 15: To Queenstown Lakes District (350 km)
Further along the coastal road one arrives at Haast, then the path leads past Mount Aspiring National Park over the top of the pass New Zealand Alps to the picturesque mountain lakes of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea. Now you are in Queenstown Lakes District arrived in central Otago. Following the Clutha River downwards one reaches Cromwell, then it goes up the Kawarau over the old gold rush town Arrowtown to the city between Lake Wakatipu and the mountains of the Remarkables Queenstown.
Day 16: Stay in Queenstown
In Queenstown, a cable trip up Bob's Peak is worthwhile, as is a trip on the old steamboat Earnslaw A highland farm on Lake Wakatipu is recommended. Or a jetboat ride on the Shotover River, a sailing tour or just take a rest in the picturesque backdrop of the alpine world.
Day 17: Queenstown-Milford Sound-Te Anau (total 410 km)
The goal of almost every New Zealand tour is Fiordland National Park. However, it is also quite inaccessible. The only public road from Queenstown is 170 km south towards Lumsden and then after Te Anau in the West. The town is the starting point for the approximately 120 km away Milford Sound, the most famous tourist attraction in the country. A boat trip opens up the beauty of the fjord landscape, and seals and dolphins are often seen. However, Milford Sound is located in an extremely wet area with over 200 rainy days per year. On days like this, dozens of waterfalls plunge down from the surrounding heights. The way back is via the only road to Te Anau.
Day 18: From Te Anau through Southland to Dunedin (290 km)
Now it goes across Southland Gore and Balclutha to Dunedin. In the center of the city founded by Scottish immigrants, there is something special about it Octagon, this octagonal street forms the center. A visit to the peninsula is recommended Otago Peninsula with their penguin colonies and the albatrosses at Taiaroa Head.
Day 19: To the Mackenzie district (230 km)
You can still treat yourself to the morning in Dunedin. Then it goes further north. At Moeraki A visit to the boulders on the coast is worthwhile. In Oamaru the former port area is a remarkable open-air museum of the Victorian era. Then it goes past reservoirs through the Waitaki Valley upstream to Omarama.
Day 20: Through the Mackenzie district to Christchurch (330 km)
Golden-brown tussock grass, the bright blue of the rivers and canals and the lupins blooming in spring form together with the background of the New Zealand Alps a great panorama in the clear and mostly dry air. Who on the Franz-Josef-Glacier due to bad weather for a flight over the Mount Cook was prevented, this should be done here if possible, it will be an unforgettable experience. Also a visit to the small church of the Good Shepherd on Lake Tekapo is a must. Then the journey goes through rural regions in the direction Christchurch.
Day 21: Christchurch to Marlborough (320 km)
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island. It is characterized by numerous parks and buildings in the English style. Follow the route of the Canterbury Pacific Highway north to Kaikoura. This stretch of coast is particularly known for lobsters, and seals can be seen in many places along the shore. The city is all about ecotourism, especially whale watching tours are offered with great success. If you register in good time, you can join such a 3-hour tour. North of Kaikoura we continue on the Top of the South Wine Trail to the region Marlborough, in the at Blenheim and Renwick the wineries spread across the plain.
Return to the North Island
Day 22: From Picton to Wanganui (approx. 220 km)
It is only a half hour drive (approx. 30 km) from the wine villages of Marlborugh Pictonto take the ferry back to the North Island. After about 3 hours of sailing, the ferry docks in Wellington. The SH 1 leads north along the rural for a distance of around 190 km Kapiti Coast above Levin to Wanganui. The city on the Whanganui River has a number of beautiful Art Deco buildings.
Day 23: From Wanganui to Auckland (450 km)
The path initially goes upstream Raetihi. You get to the just a little north Tongariro National Park with the three volcanoes Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. One then follows that Thermal Explorer Highway above Taumarunui to the enchanting glow worm cave Waitomo Caves. over Hamilton and Huntly leads the last part of the way to Auckland
Alternatives
The suggested destinations can also be visited in reverse order
Shorten the route
- Of Auckland from one drives directly south and renounces Northland (3 days less)
- Return trip already from Christchurch (3 days less)
Modifying the route
- On the South Island you drive from Picton to Christchurch (1 day), then take the Great Alpine Highway across the Alps to Greymouth and on to Franz-Josef zum Westland National Park.
More travel destinations
- Of Te Anau one drives first after Invercargill to the south coast, then further to bluff. From here you can take the ferry to Stewart Island translate. The further path then leads over Catlins Coast to Dunedin (approx. 3 days more)
- On the North Island you can drive along the coast of the Tasman Sea on the way back past Taranaki National Park (at least 1 day more)
Web links
- Automobile Association Information for drivers
- Intercity Coach Lines Booking of long-distance buses
- Spaceships Unique Campervan Hire New Zealand
- Maui Motorhome Rentals & Car Hire
- Kea Campers, RVs and Campervans
- Stray, Backpacker Bus Tours New Zealand
- Kiwi Experience, Backpacking New Zealand
- C E Tours, bus tours through New Zealand (also in German)
- Salt Air, Scenic Flights and Flights to Cape Reinga
- Air safari Scenic flights from Lake Tekapo to Mount Cook
- Wonder of the world Information for traveling with children to and in New Zealand (German)
